INDIANAPOLIS - Despite battling back from a 13-point second-half deficit, the Xavier women's team fell, 71-67, at Butler Thursday night in its first road game of the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule. Senior Amber Gray scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to lead the Musketeers.

Xavier (6-10, 0-2 A-10) shot 40 percent (18-45) from the floor for the game to Butler's (10-7, 1-1 A-10) 48.1 percent (25-52). The Musketeers won the battle on the boards, 33-27, and were 25-of-34 from the line (73.5).

Also for the Musketeers, junior Ashley Wanninger added 15 points on the strength of four 3-point baskets and junior Shatyra Hawkes chipped in 13 points to go with five rebounds, five steals and two assists.

The Musketeers held the Bulldogs scoreless for nearly six minutes during the second half using a 10-0 run to cut the BU lead to three, 57-54, with 6:26 left in regulation. XU relied on free throw shooting late in game and junior Ty O'Neill's trip to the line with 10 seconds left again cut the Bulldog lead to three, 70-67, but the Musketeers would get no closer. Butler was able to hold on for the four-point victory.

Early in the first half, a made free throw by O'Neill tied the game at five apiece and the Musketeers used a 9-0 run to jump out to the 13-5 lead with 14:32 to play. The Bulldogs were able to knot the score at 21-all and the two squads remained close the rest of the half. Gray's jumper at 2:27 pulled XU within two, 32-30, which would be the margin at the break. Gray led the team with 11 points and six rebounds heading into the locker room.

The Bulldogs were led by Taylor Schippers with 15 points, one of four players in the double-figures scoring for BU. Liz Stratman added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds in her first game against her former team.

The Musketeers return to action this weekend with a trip to Charlotte, N.C., to take on the 49ers in A-10 action on Sunday, Jan. 20. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Charlotte's Halton Arena.